April 10 - Thoughts on the 2011 Canadian Federal Election

Being that we have to elect a new government in three weeks, I thought to record my many and varied thoughts on this election. I have no well defined party preference or recommendation, just a series of observations and, perhaps cynically, complaints about the whole process.

An election is never a waste of time and resources. I've heard this complaint from several people and I strongly disagree with the sentiment. We should not take for granted the ability to elect a government in relatively fair, free and open election. Furthermore, when a government has lost the confidence of parliament, an election is the only reasonable way for the people to express their opinion of that government. Even if this election produces precisely the same parliament as before, it is still a good and useful process.

I'm not voting on how much I like or dislike the leaders. A lot of the coverage of the election seems to focus on what Canadians think about the personalities of the leaders. I, for one, refuse to make decisions on that axis. I'm voting based on platforms, records in parliament and individual riding candidates. I really don't care which leader would be more pleasant to sit down and have tea with.

I like minority parliaments. They certainly have problems, but they are not necessarily a problem. I do not buy the argument that we need a majority government to maintain the stability of the country.

I want leaders in Ottawa to cooperate. Working together with the Bloc Quebecois on a reasonable bill is not treason. Working with the Conservatives on a reasonable bill is not selling out to the right, nor is working with the NDP on a reasonable bill selling out to the left. I expect members of parliament to cooperate wherever they find common ground in creating good laws, policies and budgets for the country. Should a coalition be an option for forming a government, I welcome the idea.

No major party has a secret agenda that will destroy the country. I certainly have strong opinions on policy and I think that several items in different parties' platforms are dangerous and will negatively affect the majority of Canadians. But I will not buy into any fear-mongering.

I'm not voting for the party that promises tax breaks or tax incentives that help me personally. Any such advances seem pandering at best and vote-buying at worst. The tax code is complicated enough; increasing its complexity with more and more targeted tax incentives seems like a poor way to direct policy. I'd much rather have a government that simplified the tax system and ran programs instead to encourage certain behaviour in the citizenry.

Similarly, I'm tired of the general idea that a party motivates a voter by promises that will help that specific, individual voter. I would love to see a party that ran on the vision of what will be good for the whole country, in particular, for the poor, underpriviledged and disenfranchised members of our society. I'm of the opinion that in our social contract, the government has a moral obligation to address the various problems of our citizenry. I believe that governmental policies and programs are ways (though certainly no the only ways) in which we address the very real inequalities in our society. I would love to see a party campaign on a sense of vision, compassion and social change instead of a series of selfish insentives thrown at particular voting groups.

I would love to see a party, any party, give a serious talk about the difficult financial decisions facing the country. I'm very woried about the debt, about the interest payments, and about how they affect the ability to offer services to generations of future Canadians. I'm not at all swayed by the prevailing economic sense that Canada can and will simply grow out of its debt problems. More than anything else, I'm looking to vote for a government that will be capable of having a complex, mature discussion of how to tackle our debt issues while providing services of use to the citizenry. So far I've been very disappointed on this front.

In particular, I don't see how the discussion of services can be uncoupled from the discussion of taxes. We pay taxes for services -- these are eternally joined. If we want more services, or even maintaining the same level of services, we need to talk about the taxes that will fund those services. If we want lower taxes, we need to talk, at the same time, about what services we will give up for those tax breaks.

I don't give the Conservative government credit for financial prudence. In my opinion, they've shown little of that in the past six years. I give the Liberals slightly more than zero credit, but only slightly more, since the debt management of the Chretien/Martin governments was accomplished by very broad service cuts and downloading of problems to the provinces. It's difficult to evaluate the other parties on this front, since they've never had the opportunity to be the major force behind a government budget.

I'm troubled by the lack of a foreign policy aspect to the current election. I would like to see a party that could articulate a vision of what role Canada should take in the world. The same comment goes for environmental policy.

I hate the `first past the post' voting system in our ridings. However, no huge proportional representation overhaul is necessary. Simply addopting, in each riding, a instant run-off system would be enough of a change.

As of this moment, I have no idea who I'm voting for.

March 28 - Thoughts on Cruising

First, I've posted a relatively small gallery of pictures from our cruise. We didn't have the camera out that often. In particular, we didn't take it with us on shore, so we have no photos of the excursions. We did take a few pictures of the boat, the scenery at Cabo San Lucas, and the Port of Los Angeles on the return home. You can find the gallery here.

I have three main thoughts and reactions to cruising. First, it was remarkably pleasant and relaxing. The point of this vacation was relaxation, indulgence and book-reading, all of which were thoroughly accomplished. Life on the cruise boat is very simple, particular if you decide to ignore many of the planned events (more on that in a later section). Not worrying about food and food preparation for a whole week was very relaxing. In addition, the food was quite excellent. Though the boat had several specialty restaurants (which charged extra fees), we were quite content to lunch and dinner at the two main dinning rooms and we were never disappointed with the food.

The main advantage of the cruise, to me, seems the ability to ignore thoughts about the next destination, how we will get there, what our schedule is, where we will stay, or any other similar concerns. I found it amazing how much time was available without any of these concerns. I focused much of my time on reading books, which was an explicitly stated goal for the trip. I finished five from my list, which pleased me greatly.

The second and third reactions to the cruise are more critiques of the experiences. They follow the first intentionally, since I want to make it clear that I did enjoy myself. However, these reasons do contribute to the thought that it will probably be some time before I decide on a cruise for a future vacation.

The second main reaction is this: much of the time, particularly when I was walking around from one place to another, I felt like a rat in some bizzare, complicated psychologist's expirement. On the boat, you are stuck in a completely self-contained, completely artificial environment. Then, in that setting, you are bombarded with a wide variety of stimuli (mostly trying to get you to spend more money on a variety of goods and services). I couldn't help thinking that someone behind the security cameras was tracking reactions, looking at how the various people responded to the various stimuli. I think this reaction is mostly me responding to the sureal and artificial nature of the environment. However, it left me feeling uneasy. While its certainly not the only thing I search for, I appreciate some level of authenticity in a vacation experience. The cruise boat does not provide this.

The third reaction and second critique relates to the atmosphere of the boat expressed in the previous paragraph, but focuses on a more specific ascpet: the relationship between the guests and the crew. Unsurprisingly, there is a very strong distinction between those who serve and those who are served. One way I've described it is the following: cruises provide a way for middle class North America to experience a kind of aristocratic lifestyle which many of us, to some extend, aspiire to. The crew on the boat, particularly the dinner and room service staff, feel, act and respond as hired servants would. This is particularly notable in their deference, style and/or lack of eye contact, and address. While I'm sure this is entirely intentional, I found it unsettling. I've realized that the very explicit class distinction troubles me. In our previous travels, Steph and I have mostly been staying in Bed \& Breakfasts or Hostels. In both of these environments, there is a sense that the guests and the hosts are essentially equals. Guests and hosts will address each other with the same tone and style, and converse as equals. I really like that, and found the absence of it jarring.

There is some danger in how this last response is interpreted. I'm aware of the fact that my lifesylte and luxury is served, in an indirect and hidden way, by the working poor of many countries around the world. (I was reading ``The Price of a Bargain'' on the boat as well, a book on globalization, cheap prices and their sociological impacts. It was a strange juxtapostion with the cruise environment.) Perhaps it is unfair for me to critise the class distinction on the boat when I accept the same distrinction in how our society is structured and what stanndard of living that allows me. I'm not sure what else to say on this for now, but I'm trying to think more on it.

March 1 - Back from Vacation

Steph and I are back from our Reading Week Cruise. Of note, there has been almost a 60 degree temperature difference for us over the last few days.

More on the cruise later, including some pictures and comments on the books (five!) that I managed to finish on vacation.

January 16 - More Gingerbread

I've added the 2010 gingerbread photos to the gingerbread photo album. Many thanks to Michael for taking all these photos.

January 12 - Singing

Last term, and to a lesser extert last year, was an excersice in temporary removal from the world in order to finish a Ph. D. program. That being finished, I am able once again take on some activities in the world.

The choice of those activities is something which always troubles me. I have many things I'd like to be doing and many things I'd like to be learning, but I still need a cherish evenings at home where I can sit and read books. Balancing all of these never seems possible.

Partiall through planning and partially through circumstance, the priority that became primary after finishing the thesis is singing. I've started voice lessons, as noted earlier in Decemmber. I've had my first lesson and I'm currently looking at repertoire to prepare for a jury in April. Some Handel and Schubert so far, and more to choose. I'm really enjoying the lessons and the motivating to practice voice daily. Or at least nearly daily.

I've also signed up again with Vocal Alchemy, a community choir in Edmonton which I sang with for several terms in the past. Even though I'm not going to be able to sing in their February concert, I'm quite enjoying the folk-song repertoire. In particular, there is a Eleanor Daley arrangement of `Cape St. Mary's' which I am extremely fond of.

I'm singing tenor in the choir, which is new and thoroughly enjoyable. I'm enjoying the high notes, even though I'm not completely comfortable with them. I'm also particularly enjoying not having to worry about the low notes that used to be pretty weak. The tenor lines in much of our music are fun, and I like singing thirds in final chords.

December 21 - Credit Cards

I've been reading on CBC about the various recent kerfuffle between consumer groups, retailers, competition watchdogs and credit card companies. For example, these articles and this opinion piece. In short, retailers are concerned or upset about fees charged by credit card companies; in particular, about their inability to encourage customers to use cheaper payment opinions as well as the higher fees on premuim cards.

On the issue of business being permitted to encourage certain forms of payment, if their contracts with Visa and Mastercard prohibit this, they need new contracts. I suppose this is where the Competition Bureau comes in, since negotiating new contracts with the two companies that totally dominate this particular market in Canada does seem like a difficult task.

I'm actually much more interested in the second issue. I understand that retailers pay higher fees when a customer uses a premuim card, usually one that has certain benefits such as insurance or cashback. This was new information for me some months ago when I first discovered it, and makes the whole scheme of credit cards with snazzy rewards programs make some more sense. Now, having this knowledge, as a consumer I'm offered a real choice.

There are a number of retail business in Edmonton that I feel I have a relationship with, even if I don't actuallly know the owners or employers. Knowing that choosing a rewards program card essentially costs them money, I'm inclined not to use such a card. I think this whole situation, particular with the recent press informing people of the reality of card fees, puts some responsibility on us, as purchasers, to take this decision seriously. A "free-rewards" program isn't actually free, the cost is just transfered to the retailers. We have to decide if that's an acceptable situation, and if not, decline to use these cards. Myself, I'm inclined to decline.

I read something earlier this fall which was talking about the influence of money in North American society. The writer of this piece did not demonize currency in and of itself, but rather noted that currency can be uses either explotatively or in exchanges of mutual benefit (however benefit is defined, hopefully looking to a broad definition that is more than just financial and encompases some sense of general goodness). It was suggested that consumers could be much more aware of the attempt to find exchanges of mutual benefit. I really liked the idea, mostly as a new way of evaluating my economic activity. Instead of just hunting for the best bargin for myself, I can evaluate my purchases on how much both me and the seller are mutually benefitting. I'll easily admit that the variables in such calculation are often varied and frequently unknowable, but I'm still finding it a useful perspective.

I also realize that this is not, particularly, a new through. This kind of thinking motivates a number of consumer initiatives, such as various fair trade programs. What was new to to me was mostly the reminder to keep in mind the idea that spending money is a decision with moral implications, even for something as small as a difference in credit card percentage fees.

December 15 - Gingerbread Feast

Gingerbread Feast is this Friday. For those who are not aware of our history of making strange gingerbread houses, I have created a photo galley of our previous four gingerbread feasts.

Please join us on Friday if you'd like to participate in whatever this years projects turn out to be. I encourage bringing candy if you have something you might particularly like to use as decoration. Since gingerbread takes some time, I'm not also going to cook a big meal. It'll mostly be cheeses, veggies and the like. If you have a favourite cheese you'd like to share, feel free to bring it along.

December 9 - Voice Lesson

I signed up for voice lessons today. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but never made the effort to organize and actually do.

I get to take these voice lessons through Kings under a lovely arrangement wherein faculty and staff can take a single course per term. This means that I'm registered, as an unclassified student, in the music department. Since I'm quite impressed with our music department, I'm looking forward to participating in it.

Having sung in choirs for many years, I feel relatively comfortable singing in an ensemble. However, singing by myself for people still makes me relatively nervous. I've managed to do it several times, including at my wedding and at the most recent Math Music Night, but it's still unnerving.

Not nearly unnerving enough, though, to prevent me from being very excited.

In addition, my voice teacher met with me today for an initial evaluation. She figures I should probably be singing tenor, instead of the baritone which I though for the last dozen years. Who knew?

December 5 - Trust The Government

The WikiLeaks release of hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables has dominated the news over the last week, at least the sources that I've been reading. I've read a number of opinion pieces, mostly at the Globe and Mail, CBC or via various Metafilter links and comments. The opinions have been sundry, but I get the sense that they break down relatively clearly along one dividing line. That line is this question: How much do you trust the Government?

Those comments and opinion pieces which have been more critical of the leaks have stressed their damage to the ability of government and their diplomats to pursue diplomatic work. There is a common argument that WikiLeaks has created a culture where sensitive information is more likely to be made public; this, it is claimed, is detrimental to important issues such as the security of informants and the reputations of individual diplomats acting in sensitive regions. The unstated assumption behind these criticisms is that world governments and their diplomatic and/or espionage services are generally oriented towards, at the very least, the interests of their citizens. Moreover, the assumption implies that such governments are successful in their goal protecting the interest of their citizens. Essentially, all these comments assume, at some level, that the international activities of government are trustworthy.

Those opinion pieces most supportive of the leaks (which, in my reading, are in the minority), stress the importance for a citizenry to be informed of the actions of its government. They do not exclude the secret confidential actions of governments; in fact, they might argue that it is most important for citizens to periodically be made aware of what happens behind the closed doors of international politics. I feel there is a basic assumption here that, as some level, governments are not to be trusted. Often the language of such arguments appeals to vigilance of the citizenry to watch over what its government is up to. Sooner or later, there will be something that must be objectionable.

I'm not particularly sure where I fall on the axis of trusting governments. I'm certainly skeptical of the first type of argument listed above, with the implicit, unquestioned trust that governments generally are doing, if not the right then, then at least something that should benefit their own citizens. However, I'm enough of an optimist to feel that the government is not naturally my enemy, and that extreme vigilance is not required to prevent it from acting unethically. In the past, I feel I was even more optimistic and more likely to put trust in a governmental system. I think that tendency is waning, and perhaps I'll be a true skeptic in the years to come.

I am, however, strongly in favour of government being as open as possible. While I have an appreciation of the need for confidentiality on many issues, governments should always err on the side of informing their public. I'm supportive of the idea in the old proverb that power corrupts and does so in proportion to the extent of the power. A natural check on this process is the ability of citizens to observe the actions of their governments. In that sense, I'm more in favour than not of an organization such a WikiLeaks and its mission of making public the closed door conversations of government officials.

In any case, I'd like to see more in discussion on the WikiLeaks issues of why we should or should not be trusting in our government to fairly and effectively act in our interests or in the interests of a greater good. The fact that such assumptions, on either side, seem to go unsaid dissapoints me.

November 30 - Defended

I succesfully defended my thesis yesterday.

Everyone, naturally, is asking how I feel. This feels sort of like interviewing athletes after winning an important game. "Well, we gave it 110%, y'know, and we feel, um, really good about the result." I do feel good, but the responses are predictable. I will say that I no longer feel like I'm living in an unreality bubble.

Mostly, yesterday, I felt relieved and exhausted. I didn't really get much accomplished today either, which is probably fair. I certainly slept well last night, and will likely do the same this evening.

To all who've sent congratulations, thanks for that. I feel extremely appreciated this week, which is lovely.

November 28 - Defense

I defend my Ph. D. Thesis tomorrow. Noon, in ED (Education) 106 on the University of Alberta, if any one would like to attend. There is a 45min public presentation, before the committee sends you all away and gets to ask their questions.

I'll be going to the Sugarbowl at roughly 4:00, hopefully to celebrate. Please join me if you feel so inclined.

I don't particularly feel nervous, nor conventinally stressed out. I mostly feel odd and disconnected, floating in some kind of unreality bubble. The thesis has been with me a long time, and I'm having a hard time imagining actually being finished. I'm looking foward to giving the talk; that seems almost a trivial aside. I have no real conception of what questions the committee will ask, though I'm relatively confident in my command of the material.

I'm going to a dinner party for American Thanksgiving this evening, which seems like a really excellent idea. I need some distraction today, since I don't want to wander around the house all day rehashing my talk and feeling a sense of unreality.

November 24 - New Layout

Welcome to the new Remkes.ca. I've been playing around with HTML5 and CSS3, though I only barely understand the basics. I'm generally pleased with the results, so far.

There is some, though sparse, content in the other pages. I have added several older photo albums, including from my wedding, my time in Taiwan and my time in the Netherlands. There are some bicycle pictures in the about tab as well.